Grain sampler



R. J. BOWLIER GRAIN SAMPLER Filed Jan. 3, 1961 Jan. 14, 1964 United States Patent 3,117,452 GRAIFI SAlvWLlER Hebert 3. Eowiier, 355% Black Bay Road, Port Arthur, )ntario, Canada Filed Jan. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 86,279 1 Claim. (61. 73-424) My invention relates to new and useful improvements in grain samplers, particularly grain samplers for use in grain belts or spouts in elevators.

Normally such grain sampling is done by an operator dipping samples of grain from thes stream with a scoop situated upon the end of a relatively long handle.

Not only is such sampling haphazard but also, unless considerable care is taken, the danger of cracked grain is always present. If any cracked grain is found when the sample is analyzed, then the dockage is increased.

1 have provided a grain sampler which can be used either upon a grain belt or upon a grain spout in which regular samples of grain are picked up from the grain stream without the danger of cracking occuring. Also, a representative sample of grain is obtained which is far more accurate than the usual haphazard manual sampling.

The principal object and essence of my invention is, therefore, to provide a grain sampler of the character herewithin described which can be used upon a grain belt, a grain spout or any other type of grain conveyor, and which furthermore can be utilized to pick up grain against the stream flow or with the stream flow as desired, depending upon the operating conditions.

Another obiect of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is extremely simple to install in the desired position.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which picks up regular samples of grain without cracking occurring.

A further object of my invention is to provide a device of the character herewithin described which is simple in construction, economical in manufacture, and otherwise well suited to the purpose for which it is designed.

With the foregoing objects in view, and such other objects and advantages as will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relates as this specification proceeds, my invention consists essentially in the arrangement and construction of parts all as hereinafter more particularly described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side sectional elevaton of one embodiment of my device shown upon a grain belt.

FEGURE 2 is a view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FEGURE 3 is a plan view showing my device placed upon a grain spout but reduced in size from FIGURES 1 and 2.

FIGURE 4 is a side elevation of one embodiment of my grain scoops.

EGURE 5 is a sectional view of a further embodiment of my grain scoops particularly adapted to be used with the grain flow.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

Proceeding therefore to describe my invention in detail, reference should be made first to FIGURE 1 of the drawings. 1 have shown supporting structure within the upper end of which shaft 11 is supported for rotation within bearings 11'.

One end 12 of the shaft 11 is connected to a source or power in the form of a drive unit 13 for rotation of the shaft at the desired speed.

A screw conveyor collectively designated 14- consists of an auger flight 15 within a casing 16 and axially 3,117,452 Patented Jan. 14, 1964 mounted on shaft 12. It should be noted that the auger flight 15 is secured to the casing 16 as at 16' and also to the shaft 12 so that the casing and the flight rotate together driven by the shaft 12. This prevents grain being cracked between the flight and the casing while it is being angered to a discharge or collection spout 17 for the collection of the sample. This is an important consideration as any additional cracking or damaging of the grain sample will result in an unwarranted increase in the dock-age applied to the shipment being sampled.

It will be observed that one end of the casing 16 is flared outwardly as at 18 and engages the circular entrance 19 of the discharge or collection spout 17, insulation 29 being provided between the flared end and the boundary of the circular entrance to prevent dust or grain from discharging at this point.

Situated along the length of the casing 16 and secured thereto, 1 have provided a plurality of pick-up scoops 21 consisting of tubes 22 having curved open ends 23 formed upon the distal ends thereof. These tubes pass through the casing into the auger flight and extend radially from the casing as clearly shown in the drawings.

Reference character 24 illustrates the cross sectional view of a grain belt havng grain 25 being moved thereby and it will be observed that the open ends 23 of the scoops are situated so that when the device rotates, the scoops dip into the grain and pick up a sample thereof. In the particular embodiment shown in FIGURE 1, the scoops shown in FIGURE 4 are used and rotate in the direction of arrow 26 so that a small sample of grain is picked up by the curved end of the scoop and fed by gravity through the tube 22, as it reaches the uppermost position, to be deposited within the auger flight 15. As the auger flight and casing are rotated, these grain samples are angered to the discharge spout 17 for collection. By having a plurality of pick-up tubes 22 extending from the casing 16, a sample is obtained from across the width of the body of grain being conveyed by the belt 24.

If it is desired to collect the grain by rotating the device in the same direction as the grain stream, then the open ends 23 of the pick-up scoops should be modified as shown in FIGURE 5.

When sampling grain moving at relativey high speed and in order to eliminate cracking of the grain by impact of the tube ends, the scoops are adapted to be rotated in the direction of arrow 27 which is the same as the direction of the grain stream as indicated by arrow 2%. Hot ever, it will be appreciated that the speed of the grain stream should be greater than the speed of the scoops so that grain is fed into the opening 29' of the scoop by the downwardly inclining flange 29 formed thereon, and held within the cup-like portion 3t) until the scoop rotates towards the uppermost position whereupon the sample of grain falls by gravity down the tube 22 to the auger. The inwardly extending flange or extension 30" retains the grain sample in the cup portion 3t).

FIGURE 3 shows a top plan view of one end 31 of a grain spout which is provided with a slot 32 within the upper side of the casing.

My device is situated transversely of this slot and supported upon the spout 3-1 by means of plate 33 secured to the casing and the pick-up scoops are situated above the slot and enter into the grain spout to pick up the samples of grain as hereinbefore described. In this instance it will be appreciated that the pick-up scoops are in the same radial plane instead of being staggered along the length of the casing 16 as in FIGURE 1.

Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely diiferent embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claim without departing from such spirit 3 and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.

What I claim as my invention is:

In a device for extracting samples from a stream of grain, the combination of a rotatably mounted tubular conveyor casing adapted to extend transversely above a grain stream, a grain sample pick-up tube secured to and projecting substantially radially outwardly from said casing, said pick-up tube having an open inner end in communication with the interior of the casing and a closed outer end, an intermediate portion of said pick-up tube t a point spaced radially inwardly from its closed outer end being provided with a grain inlet opening oriented in the plane of flow of a stream of grain, and a grain defiector plate secured to said pick-up tube at the edge of said opening adjacent to but spaced radially inwardly from the closed outer end of the tube and disposed obliquely to the axis of said tube, said deflector plate having an outer portion outside the tube for scooping a grain sample into the latter, and also having an inner portion projecting into the tube in spaced relation from its closed end, whereby to provide a sample receiving pocket in the closed end portion of the tube and whereby to retain a picked-up grain sample in said pocket until rotation of said casing permits the sample to be discharged into the casing through the open inner end of the pick-up tube.

References fitted inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,301,815 Robison Nov. 10, 1942 2,641,934 Werts June 16, 1953 2,664,751 Johnson Ian. 5, 1954 2,814,204 Moyle Nov. 25, 1957 3,000,220 Johnson Sept. 19, 1961 

